Athletics: Kosgei, Kiptum to lead Kenya's marathon team at World Championship

Nairobi (Kenya), June 3 (IANS) World record holder Brigid Kosgei and the second-fastest marathoner of all time Kelvin Kiptum will spearhead Kenya's marathon squad for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

The eye-catching selection in the squad was announced by Athletics Kenya's vice president and director for competitions Paul Mutwii on Friday evening.

Kiptum, the newest kid on the elite marathon running block, obliterated a talented field to win the 2023 London Marathon in 2:01:25 on April 23, the second-fastest in history behind two-time Olympic champion and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge (2:01:09), reports Xinhua.

This came barely four months after the 23-year-old ran the fastest-ever marathon debut in Valencia where he smashed the course record and posted the fourth-fastest time of 2:01:53 on December 4, 2022.

Kiptum will be joined in the men's team by Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor, who has won gold medals at the World Cross Country and World Half Marathon Championships. Kamworor finished fourth at last year's World Championships in Oregon.

Titus Kipruto, fourth-placed finisher at the 2023 Tokyo Marathon, rounds off the men's team, with Commonwealth Games medallist Michael Githae and Timothy Kiplagat, who finished second at the Rotterdam Marathon in April, named as reserves.

Despite failing to finish the London Marathon, Olympics silver medallist Kosgei will lead the women's team as she seeks to bounce back to the podium.

Tokyo Marathon champion Rosemary Wanjiru, and Sheila Chepkirui who finished fourth in London also made the women's squad, as Kenya seeks to reclaim the title it last won at the 2019 Worlds.

Barcelona Marathon runner-up Sally Chepyego Kaptich and Commonwealth Games silver medalist Margaret Wangari are the reserves of the Kenyan women's team.

The 2023 World Championships will take place in Budapest from August 19 to 27.

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